The Cup, the Cane, the Spell, and the Duo
by Atana
Summary: Lucius and Narcissa break up! Lucius goes after Martis! Narcissa goes after Snape! runs away in terror
1. Default Chapter

--------------------

Snips and Spirals Fanfic:

"The Cup, the Cane, the Spell, and the Duo"

Text by Lady Tesser

--------------------  
  
DISCLAIMER: 'Annabel Lee' is by Edgar Allan Poe. 'Wash Me' lyrics written by Derek Cole and performed by Fascination.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
CHAPTER ONE: Splitsville  
  
[Lord Potter struggled helplessly in the silken binds that tied him mercilessly to the large soft bed. Standing before him on the foot of the bed, wearing her trademark red patent leather bustier and thigh high boots, was Mistress Britomartis, the riding crop slapping loudly into the palm of her red leather glove. Her black sunglasses reflected his vulnerable image back to him; her incredibly long blonde hair tangled over her lush thighs and the boots.  
  
[Mistress Lily, her pale body drenched in a golden scarf that made her hair even redder and a perfume that made her smell even more delicious, leaned over him. She inhaled, her breasts straining against the golden material, and then she whispered huskily, "If you do not confess, we will have to torture you, Lord Potter."  
  
[He smirked up at her. "Mistress Lily, I cannot say which of you is prettier - you both have your fine points."  
  
[Mistress Britomartis leaned down, her breasts falling forward in the cups of her bustier. "We'll make you decide. Lily - bring forth the ostrich feathers!"]  
  
"Hey, Prongs!" Peter Pettigrew said as he plopped down next to James Potter in the Great Hall. "What'cha doin'?"  
  
"NOTHING!" Potter gasped, shoving his quill and the five-foot long scroll in his book bag.  
  
Sirius Black, with a slightly better idea of what his friend was up to (having snuck peeks at the scroll behind Potter's back), smirked. "Well, we don't want to interrupt your 'nothing' - but make sure to wash your hands afterwards."  
  
Potter glared at Black. "Breathe a word," he growled in a low voice. "And I will kill you!"  
  
Black's smirk grew, and he settled at the table. "Cool it, Prongs. I'm quite sure 'Mistress Lily' would be traumatized."  
  
Potter blushed bright red and frowned. "Anyway, when can we practice for the Cup Match?"  
  
"This afternoon. The entire Slytherin team has to do some potion work for Sartoris, so we finally snagged the pitch for our practice."  
  
"Good. Let's go."  
  
----------  
  
Britomartis Vox entered the Slytherin common room and walked into the middle of a domestic dispute.  
  
Narcissa Black was throwing various items around the common room at Lucius Malfoy, who was hiding behind one of the large leather couches.  
  
"IT'S OVER!" Narcissa shouted, throwing a bowl of apples in his direction. "FINSHED! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!"  
  
"But - Cissa - !" Lucius called.  
  
"FORGET IT, MALFOY!" Narcissa ripped a necklace off of her neck and threw it at him. "I'M BORED WITH YOU AND YOUR STUPID OBSESSIONS!"  
  
Martis leaned against the entry stone wall. "I suppose you'll return his underwear, correct? Or do you want to keep the lacy ones?"  
  
"SHUT UP, VOX!" Narcissa shrieked, stomping up to her dorm room.  
  
Lucius stuck his head up from behind the couch, his blond hair in his face. "Is she gone?"  
  
"The lioness has returned to her den to consume chocolate and make voodoo dolls of you," Martis answered as she sat on the couch he was hiding behind.  
  
Lucius rounded the couch and gingerly sat next to her, trying to brush his hair back. "It's not as bad as all that. Oh, sure, she can get excitable, but it's all an act. She'll be out in a few minutes - "  
  
" - with a gelding knife."  
  
He smiled nervously, trying to save face. "I don't think so."  
  
"I've seen it on Crete several times. Especially when the guy was being a puffskein's putz."  
  
"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" he insisted. "Am I to be blamed when some silly girl sends me a love note?!"  
  
Britomartis bent down and picked up one of the pieces of detritus - a thick pile of letters bound with a silk ribbon, with a delicately written 'To My Darling Lucius' on the top letter. "A love note, no. This is ... what, a month's correspondence?"  
  
"It's perfectly innocent."  
  
She pulled the top letter open and read aloud, "'My Beloved Lucius - My skin still tingles from last night when you ran your fingers along my' - " She shook her head, going 'tch-tch-tch'. "Interesting definition of 'innocent' you got, Lucy. Ever thought of becoming a solicitor?"  
  
He sighed. "You wouldn't understand."  
  
"What's to understand?" she asked. "Your thought processes are taking place a couple of inches below your waistband."  
  
He smirked. "Perhaps you do."  
  
Martis rolled her eyes. "It's distressing when I become your confidante. All right, Lucy, should I try to convince her you're semi-worth going back to? Or just plead to the mercy-hoppi-hoppa bit on your behalf? The last thing anyone wants is you wandering around unsatisfied with all these First- Years and House-Elves around."  
  
He pouted. "You wound me, Miss Vox."  
  
"I don't have my axe out, so you aren't wounded yet. Be warned - you will be if you try that 'sympathy' bit on me."  
  
"Never. I'm still a gentleman." (pause) "Will you please stop laughing?"  
  
"Sorry! Got something in my throat!"  
  
Lucius snorted. "You know, Britomartis, that's what both infuriates and fascinates me about you - you don't cave under my presence and you even attempt to stomp on it."  
  
Martis smiled sweetly. "I don't attempt anything. I'm merely making sure that you know you have no chance in Avernus of getting close at all; I fear your 'shallowness cooties' could be infectious."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "As the great Muggle laureate once said, 'Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind'."  
  
"Shakespeare," Martis replied, getting up. "'A Midsummer Night's Dream'." She smirked. "And in your case - deaf and dumb in addition to blind."  
  
Martis left the common room, going up the stairs to her dorm. Lucius leaned forward, picking up his cane and resting his fists on it as he thoughtfully stared after her retreating form.  
  
A damned exasperating girl, but there was a fascination he had about her strong will and Earthy attitude. He understood little of how Snape could put up with her ... but perhaps there was also a type of fascination Severus felt for her as well.  
  
He glanced down at the pile of notes he and Narcissa had been fighting about. Without second thought, he picked them up and deposited them in the fireplace, causing a flare of purple flames to flash before settling back down to burning the papers.  
  
"On my own now," Lucius murmured.  
  
----------  
  
The next morning, posted up on the Slytherin communications board was a notice to the Quidditch team to have team and player pictures taken that afternoon after classes.  
  
"I bet," Martis muttered to her partner in crime, rapping her knuckles against the parchment. "Six guys and one girl and all in uniform. Who are these pictures for, anyway?"  
  
"For the team members, of course," Lucius answered behind her.  
  
Severus Snape turned to Lucius. "I also understand they're passed around for the other students as well."  
  
"So I hear."  
  
Sev smirked. "Spirals, did you know that Evan has Phaedra's player photograph from last year still near his bed?"  
  
"Evan has a crush on Phaedra?" she asked. "I'll have to tell her. Artemisia will be disappointed, of course - I think she once described Evan as 'that drop-dead sexy Prefect with the obscene eyebrows'."  
  
Lucius rolled his eyes. "Is it common in your culture to be so Earthy?"  
  
"Quite," Martis answered, looking at the board. "We have bulls and snakes for our central animal foci - what do you think?"  
  
Sev giggled. "Speaking of snakes, is Medusa waking up from the cold?"  
  
"Still complains about the blizzards and glaciers. Hello - what's this?" She pointed at a hand-written parchment.  
  
'To Lucius Malfoy, This is an official announcement that we are no longer Together. I resign all romantic liens against you, and demand you to do the same toward me. If I find you within my presence, I will be forced to - '  
  
The rest comprised of personal details concerning Lucius' anatomy and what she was going to stick in where.  
  
"You poor git," Sev commented sympathetically.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Snape. I'm going to go lie down a while." Lucius left the common room.  
  
Martis and Sev looked at each other. "Go on," Martis said. "Go rub his face in it."  
  
"Why?" Sev asked.  
  
"Because that's where your roommates are going."  
  
Sev turned around and noticed Evan Ryper, Thomas St. Claire, and Demetrius Jones climbing up the stairs after Lucius. "I suppose we all must kick him while he's down. Don't mind going to breakfast without me?"  
  
She waved. "Have fun, Snips. Write notes for me."  
  
Sev left her and went up to his dorm room, finding Lucius lying on his bed with his arm over his eyes. Thomas and Evan were sitting on Sev's bed next to Lucius' while Demetrius sat on his own on the other side.  
  
"She left me," Lucius moaned.  
  
"You already said that, man," Demetrius commented.  
  
"Come join the Broken Hearts Club, Snape," Evan said, waving him in. "I guess you heard by now that Narcissa Black dumped our poor Malfoy."  
  
"Over those love letters," Thomas added, smirking. "She caught him."  
  
"So you owe me, St. Claire," Evan said, holding his hand out. "Twelve galleons."  
  
"I'll pay you from the Quidditch Cup winnings," Thomas whined. "Besides, I always thought he was finally going to catch her."  
  
"Catch Narcissa?" Lucius cried, getting up. "Catch her at what?"  
  
"Being the school bicycle, Malfoy," Demetrius explained. "We thought you would have figured it out by now."  
  
"I never thought he would," Evan stated. "That's why I win the bets on that one."  
  
"I thought it was obvious," Sev remarked.  
  
"I had a go," Evan said nonchalantly. "End-of-Year Ball, year before last."  
  
Thomas nodded. "Not long after I made Seeker. She said a man in uniform was a turn-on."  
  
"I had a go, too," Demetrius piped up. "That thing she does with her tongue is - "  
  
"ALL OF YOU SLEPT WITH HER???" Lucius yelped.  
  
The three roommates nodded. "Almost every guy in Slytherin has, Malfoy," Evan informed him. "Except the First-Years - she waits until their Second Year."  
  
"Although very little sleeping actually went on," Thomas added.  
  
"Speak for yourself," Evan muttered. "It put me to sleep."  
  
"ALL OF YOU??" Lucius exclaimed.  
  
"Except me," Sev pointed out. "But she did proposition me on two occasions."  
  
Lucius stared at Sev, and then broke into laughter. It was a high-pitched, pathetic laugh; suitable for a man who knew he was about to die by the paw of a small mouse.  
  
"He's gone nutters," Thomas said quietly.  
  
"Probably from all those diseases," Sev mumbled. He slapped Lucius across the face. "Shut up, Malfoy! So Narcissa Black dumped you, so what? You don't need a shallow, flaky, worthless carcass like that!"  
  
"Yeah!" Demetrius added brightly. "You're enough of one on your own!"  
  
"Exactly," Sev concluded. "You're better off without her."  
  
Lucius rubbed his jaw where Sev had hit him. "By the Gods, Snape ... You may be right for once."  
  
"Of course I'm right," Sev snarled. "I got my soul stomped on by one. Better off without the type."  
  
Lucius fell back on the bed, staring at the canopy. "At least you had Britomartis to go back to," he said softly.  
  
The rest of the guys looked up at Sev who was staring back at Lucius through narrow eyes. "Good women are like that," Sev finally remarked.  
  
Evan and Thomas looked at each other with raised eyebrows, and then grinned as they looked back at Sev. 'New bet,' Evan mouthed.  
  
'You're on,' Thomas mouthed back.  
  
----------  
  
Team pictures were taken that afternoon, the Slytherin Quidditch team flying across the pitch in formation as well as doing candid shots and individual pictures of the players.  
  
Martis knew most of the individual photographs were of her; especially after the student photographer asked her to take off the robe and fly around in her trousers, sweater, and armor. She thought the request silly, and told the photographer so with her Beater bat and his shoulders.  
  
(Although when the photographer finally admitted to wanting to take some 'art pictures' of her, she turned to the rest of the team and said, 'Guys - this pervert wants to take pictures of my boobs.' The Slytherin team took offense and used more than Beater bats on him.)  
  
Finally, the session over, Martis returned to her rooms and found a few peculiar things setting on her bed:  
  
A bouquet of roses, all of them pink, mixed with baby's breath. A red box declaring the contents to be the finest chocolates of Honeydukes Sweetshop.  
  
"Oh, Snips, you're so sweet," she murmured, sitting on the bed and opening the note card tucked into the bow of the chocolate box. Opening the card, she read something she did not expect:  
  
'Thank you, Britomartis, for your sanity. - L.M.'  
  
Martis dropped the card on her bed, and then looked up as Oriana Crescent and Peony Danderfluff entered the room. "Did you see who sent this??"  
  
Oriana nodded, grinning. "Of course - I accepted it for you and put it there. 'Luscious' Malfoy handed them over and said 'Give these to Miss Vox, please'."  
  
Peony smirked. "He drops Narcissa and zeroes in on you, Spirals. You should be so lucky."  
  
"I should be so sick," Martis replied, making a face. "Lucy would NOT. I spread too many rumors about his obsession with the guys in the showers. He hates my guts, just as it should be."  
  
Oriana picked up the roses and sniffed them. "Oh, go ahead and take it, girl! You can rub Narcissa's nose in it - she thinks he's going to come crawling back to her again. And it's always fun watching you and Narcissa at each other's throats."  
  
"I thought you wanted to be a Black Handmaiden?"  
  
"I do, but it's still fun watching you two catfight."  
  
Peony reached for the box of chocolates but Martis slapped her hand away. "I refuse to believe Malfoy is going after me. He'd have to be out of his mind."  
  
"Then explain this," Oriana asked, indicating the roses and chocolates.  
  
"Considering the time I showed up during their fight, I probably saved his worthless life - he better be grateful." Martis opened the box and took a chocolate out. "He could have at least gotten me some coffee." She offered the box toward them. "Well, come on, dig in."  
  
----------  
  
Dinner that evening was spent with Sev and Martis tossing around quotes and trying to identify the Muggle author. Several other students up and down the table joined in at one point or another, offering names or quotes of their own.  
  
Martis stated, "'Love of beauty is Taste ... The creation of beauty is Art'."  
  
Everyone became silent. Finally, Lucius said, "Ralph Waldo Emerson." He stared at her, then quoted, "'All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire'."  
  
"Aristotle," Martis answered. "'Whatever it is, I fear Greeks even when they bring gifts'."  
  
"Virgil," Lucius replied, smirking. "'It is with our passions, as it is with fire and water: they are good servants but bad masters'."  
  
Martis raised an eyebrow, which appeared over the frame of her sunglasses. "Aesop." After a moment, she stated, "'We are so vain that we even care for the opinion of those we don't care for'."  
  
Lucius licked his lip. "Marie Ebner von Eschenbach." He smirked. "'There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness'."  
  
Sev finally spoke up, "Nietzsche." He turned to Martis and asked, "When did he join in the game?"  
  
Martis shrugged. "Ask him - maybe he feels the need for intellectual volley for once."  
  
Lucius went into his own quote: "'When a man undertakes to create something, he establishes a new heaven ... For such is the immensity of man that he is greater than heaven and earth'."  
  
"Paracelsus," Martis said. "But the game was Muggle authors, not Wizard."  
  
"And you left out the bulk of the quote," Sev added. "Which makes it sound a great deal less megalomania cal."  
  
"I believe I captured the basic thrust," Lucius said, gazing directly at Martis. "I always believe in the basic thrust."  
  
Sev's eyebrows almost rose off his forehead; his reading of innuendoes was getting to the point in which he wished he could not. He felt he should do something about it, but decided to allow Martis bagsies on embarrassing the Idiot.  
  
The sunglasses hid Martis' surprise and anger rather well. She had three options. Number one - ignore the comment, which would make him try again. Number two - Make another comment concerning subtlety, which he would take as acceptance of his verbal love play. So she chose number three.  
  
Picking up a spoonful of her rice pudding, she launched it across the table at him, making it land directly on his nose.  
  
Lucius daintily wiped it with his napkin, then excused himself to finish cleaning up.  
  
Sev and Martis turned to each other.  
  
"What HELLS was that about?" Sev hissed.  
  
"I don't know," Martis answered in a low voice. "But it gives me the creeps."  
  
"Double or nothing!" Thomas St. Claire called down the table.  
  
Evan Ryper - sitting near the duo - nodded. "Covered!"  
  
Sev narrowed his eyes at them. "WHAT are you two doing?"  
  
"Nothing, Snape, don't worry about it."  
  
Sev impulsively snaked his arm around Martis' waist and pulled her close, growling at the room in general. She giggled.  
  
"Snips, are you jealous?"  
  
He released her. "No! What do you mean? Never mind!"  
  
----------  
  
By the time it was lights out, all of Slytherin had heard about Lucius' 'gifts' to Martis as well as the quotation battle between them during dinner.  
  
Narcissa Black, Fifth-Year, was not pleased.  
  
"He didn't even BOTHER to crawl back!" she shrieked as she paced around her dorm room.  
  
"Well," one of her roommates commented. "You did tell him to go do things to himself that healers won't even touch."  
  
"Sort of a turn-off for most guys," another offered helpfully.  
  
"Shut up!" Narcissa picked up the hem of her robe and began twisting it around in her hands. "Not only that, but he's chasing after Vox! She insults him as much as she insults me! What kind of masochist is he??"  
  
The four Handmaidens glanced at each other in silent agreement that Mr. Malfoy was always a masochist, especially with their Empress.  
  
Narcissa continued ranting. "This is intolerable! He is MY property to do with as I please! Most certainly not HERS! She has Snape, what does she want with Lucius??"  
  
"Probably something prettier to look at."  
  
"Oh, shut up! Snape's a little doormat - any girl could step on him if she wanted to."  
  
"Teasey sure did. Got Spirals proper cross."  
  
Narcissa stopped pacing, freezing to the spot she stood. She slowly turned around to her Handmaidens. "Yes ... YES! I'll show that Malfoy that I can forget him! And that Vox will be broken down without her Snape around! Ha! HAHAHA!"  
  
"Oh, hells," one girl whispered. "She's going all Black Widow again."  
  
"It's been a few weeks," another remarked. "She was overdue."  
  
"Get me information on Severus Snape," Narcissa commanded. "Find out his tastes and likes, what he reads, everything."  
  
They rolled their eyes. Yet another guy they had to dig up info on; at least this one promised to have a more entertaining background than most. Or at least something that read like a horror novel.  
  
----------  
  
Lunch the next day saw the most peculiar seating the school had witnessed in ages. As the Great Hall filled, Martis and Sev settled down next to each other - followed by Lucius seating himself on Martis' other side and Narcissa claiming the place on the other side of Sev.  
  
Sev muttered in Greek (which he had finally mastered recently), "[We're surrounded.]"  
  
"[The Twin Blonde Bookends,]" Martis answered.  
  
Sev giggled. "[Shall we incite a riot?]"  
  
"[About due in for one, aren't we?]"  
  
Martis and Sev turned to the split up couple on either side of them, grinned, and stated in unison, "Hello. How are you?"  
  
Lucius and Narcissa glared at each other over the underclassmen's heads, then answered, "Fine."  
  
"How's the single life, Lucy?" Martis asked conversationally as they began to have lunch.  
  
"Dismal," he answered.  
  
"Aw, poor baby."  
  
Sev murmured, "Getting on well, Miss Black?"  
  
"Better than ever, actually," she replied.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Freed from his overbearing nature."  
  
Martis dove in as Lucius' nostrils flared, "So, Lucy, on the prowl yet?"  
  
"I prefer not to think of it as 'prowling'," Lucius stated, brushing back a strand of bright blond hair over his ear and offering a particularly nasty face toward Narcissa before offering a small smile to Martis. "More along the lines of tasting something better."  
  
Narcissa's eyes shot daggers. Martis and Sev were enjoying themselves immensely as Lucius and Narcissa tried to be polite as they ignored each other's existence.  
  
"What are your plans now, Miss Black?" Sev asked.  
  
"Oh, you know me, Severus," she chuckled. "I'll find ways of entertaining myself, perhaps with the help of a cultured intellect."  
  
"That would be a change," Sev muttered.  
  
Martis tried not to giggle aloud. "And dear Lucy, what ever shall you do with your copious free time?"  
  
"Pursue other interests of course, dear Britomartis," Lucius replied after he swallowed his food. He turned to gaze at her, licking his tongue across his lip.  
  
[Down boy,] Martis thought. [Time to nip your rebound in the bud.] Nonchalantly, she wound up her leg and kicked him squarely in the shin under the table. From the corner of her mouth she whispered, "I told you not to get me involved."  
  
Narcissa and Sev had no idea what exchange had occurred between them, as Narcissa had snatched the ball and had gotten Sev trapped in a conversation about their parents' ideas of Pureblood cleansing.  
  
Lucius rolled his eyes and murmured, "You told me not to use the 'sympathy bit' on you. I'm not asking for sympathy anything."  
  
"No, you merely get pity, and it's secondhand." Martis shoved a forkful of ham in her mouth, and then noticed Lucius watching the fork leave her mouth. [Oh, Great Mother, what a pervert.] She finished chewing her food and narrowed her eyes at him. "Lucius Malfoy, leave me alone."  
  
He pulled back, his eyes widened. "Britomartis, are you casting me from your presence?"  
  
"You're as obvious and as klutzy as an elephant ballerina - my roommates actually noticed, and they're as flaky and thick as your twin-girlfriend. I don't like you, I've never liked you, and there's nothing that will change that. Cut the crap before it goes any further."  
  
"As you wish, Britomartis." He leaned down and rubbed his shin. "I must say, though, you have quite a kick on you."  
  
She smirked. "Now, just imagine if it were more central and two feet higher." She frowned. "Really, Lucius, I don't like you and you don't like me, let's keep it that way."  
  
"Placet, magistra."  
  
Meanwhile, Sev was staring discreetly at the way Narcissa was eating, how the fork slid against her lips and out of her mouth. He was surprised to find this the first time he ever noticed how ... intriguing the process of eating was. The fact Narcissa's blue eyes caught his as he looked made him blush and turn away, making him only slightly stutter in his discussion.  
  
"And what do you think of Pureblood breeding true?" she finally asked.  
  
"Not as nice as everyone else in our circle does," Sev answered. "Because of my research into science and managing to get a hold of some Muggle papers on the subject of genetic study - "  
  
"On what?" Narcissa inquired. "Genetic?"  
  
"Genetics," Sev confirmed. "Martis got me a book on it. Anyway, I'm beginning to believe that the so-called aspects that make us different from Muggles are actually recessive traits - "  
  
Narcissa nodded, not comprehending a single statement. Brilliant boy, but bloody insane, she concluded. If she understood one-sixth of what he was saying, he was implying that magic ability was a mutant trait of the human race as a whole, meaning that Wizard and Muggle were of the exact same stock.  
  
Blasphemy, to say the least!  
  
Lunch mercifully ended, the four students parting ways, each thinking their own thoughts.  
  
[Subtlety makes her suspicious.]  
  
[Hope he chokes on his hair.]  
  
[I wonder if she understood me?]  
  
[Like a shy little puppy; almost adorable that way.]  
  
-----------  
  
Narcissa had located Sev in the library that afternoon; discarding her robe and sweater in a chair with her book bag, she loosened her tie and undid a few buttons of her shirt, followed by pulling her hair up into a loose pile on top of her head.  
  
Satisfied that she looked disheveled enough, she carefully padded down the aisle Sev was in.  
  
He was seated on the floor, his legs crossed, a large book the size of a tombstone sitting in his lap as he read. Narcissa was surprised to see Sev's hair pulled back in a braid, a green hair-tie whose design she had never seen before tying the end off. In profile, he looked both pitiful and dignified, with that large hooked-nose and slightly frowned lips and low- laying brows over dark eyes.  
  
"Severus?" she said quietly.  
  
He looked up. "Miss Black. Am I in your way?"  
  
"No. I just wanted you to explain the whole genetics thing you mentioned earlier during lunch." She sat down, her knees drawn slightly up before her.  
  
Sev closed the book. "I'll have to think on that, as I am now thinking about my Muggle Studies literature assignment."  
  
"Oh? What are you studying?"  
  
"Muggle author called Edgar Allen Poe. Dark, brooding, depressing ... " He smiled grimly. "I can relate."  
  
Narcissa cocked her head, her arms wrapped around her knees. "I'm not familiar with him. What did he write?"  
  
"Everything - novels, short stories, plays, poetry. He was even a critic, poor bugger." He opened up the book again, flipped a few pages, then read aloud,  
  
"It was many and many a year ago,  
In a kingdom by the sea,  
That a maiden there lived whom you may know  
By the name of Annabel Lee;  
And this maiden she lived with no other thought  
Than to love and be loved by me."  
  
Narcissa was shocked. Severus Snape had a gorgeous voice as he read, as if his somber tones and soft pitch were perfectly suited to the underlying darkness of the work.  
  
"I was a child and she was a child,  
In this kingdom by the sea;  
But we loved with a love that was more than love-  
I and my Annabel Lee;  
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven  
Coveted her and me.  
And this was the reason that, long ago,  
In this kingdom by the sea,  
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling  
My beautiful Annabel Lee;  
So that her highborn kinsman came  
And bore her away from me,  
To shut her up in a sepulcher  
In this kingdom by the sea.  
The angels, not half so happy in heaven,  
Went envying her and me  
Yes! that was the reason  
(as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea)  
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,  
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee."  
  
She felt tears sting her eyes. This was not some dry recitation ... the sadness and anger and broken hope layered and overlayered in his voice, forcing raw emotion to pull her hair and make her face it.  
  
Gods, such beauty to be wrapped up in such an ugly, graceless boy.  
  
"But our love it was stronger by far than the love  
Of those who were older than we  
Of many far wiser than we  
And neither the angels in heaven above,  
Nor the demons down under the sea,  
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.  
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;  
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;  
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side  
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,  
In the sepulcher there by the sea,  
In her tomb by the sounding sea."  
  
He continued to stare at the page, licking his lip absently. Narcissa said nothing, allowing him to say something first, since in her state of awe at the moment she was incapable of making a single sound.  
  
"He wrote that for his child-bride," Sev finally commented, turning the crinkling dry page. "He loved her so much that the rest of his life was spent writing verse of how her early death had destroyed his capacity to love."  
  
The moment was heavy and stifling, as if Narcissa had been buried under several robes and coats, unable to move or respond. The intensity of his voice and manner had struck her down, slapping her face and forcing her to feel something deep within her being.  
  
It was infuriating that her whole life had never allowed her the opportunity to feel anything touch ... what could only be called her Soul. And it had to be through Severus Snape!  
  
Narcissa sniffed, focusing back on the task at hand.  
  
Hard Bitch was back.  
  
"Could you read another, Severus? You have a very nice voice for it."  
  
He looked up at her, blushing. "I don't think so - "  
  
"But you do." Narcissa carefully quivered her chin as she gazed up at him, her blue eyes visible beneath her long blonde lashes. "Please ... ?"  
  
"All right. Perhaps 'Elizabeth'?"  
  
----------  
  
Martis was going to KILL herself a blond pretty-boy this time!  
  
After she got back in from Quidditch practice, she entered her dorm room to find another bouquet of roses on her bed (white this time) along with a package of coffee and a note reading 'Darling Britomartis, please go to the opera with me Friday night. I eagerly await your answer. - Lucius'  
  
"I've got his answer right here," she muttered, slamming her Beater bat into her gloved hand and making the leather slap in response as she rushed down the stairs to the common room. She looked around, not finding him, then strode over to the boys' dorm staircase and yelled, "MALFOY! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! I NEED TO KICK IT!"  
  
Students suppressed giggles; several left the common room, not wanting blood splashed on their robes.  
  
Lucius descended the staircase, looking calm and cool in his under-uniform, his sweater and tie gone and a few buttons undone at the throat.  
  
He checked Martis out - in her Quidditch uniform minus the robe; the armor really outlined her developing figure. Of course, she was only thirteen, still had a while to go. But a mature thirteen in all other matters.  
  
"Yes, Britomartis?"  
  
"ROSES AND COFFEE??" she roared, the bat swinging around in a dangerous manner. "What the Avernus do you think you're doing??"  
  
"I was lead to believe you adored coffee," he answered.  
  
"I do! But if it's accompanied by a bunch of roses and a request to go to an opera - I have to kick your ass!"  
  
"Did I overstep my bounds?" Lucius asked politely. "I was not aware that you were taken."  
  
"I'M NOT!" she snarled. "But I certainly don't want to be taken by you!"  
  
"Pity," he commented softly, his long hair falling over his shoulder.  
  
"My sister Adonia does that same 'hair-falling-casually-over-the-shoulder' bit to other girls," Martis commented nastily. "But it looks more macho on her."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "The offer still stands. Will you go to the student opera with me?"  
  
Martis poked the end of her bat into his chest, her sunglasses staring up into his eyes. "No - freaking - way." She pulled away and added a growl. "I swear to the Great Mother, Malfoy, I will kick your ass if you continue this. Stay - away - from me."  
  
He pressed closer to her. "I can't now. It's a morbid fascination and it vexes me because I still can't stand you for the most part."  
  
"Get over it," she snorted. "You've been warned." Martis turned and left, going back up to the girls' dorms.  
  
----------  
  
'Snips - Meet me in the Conversation Room after dinner. This HAS to be talked about! - Spirals'  
  
Sev deposited his robe in his dorm room and ran to the school building where the Conversation Room tower was located, taking the stairs two at a time.  
  
When he entered, he found Martis sitting on the floor, a box of chocolates opened and wrappers crumpled on the floor. Her expression was between sickness and mild piss-off.  
  
"Have a chocolate," she said curtly. "Care of Lucy."  
  
"What happened?" Sev asked as he sat down.  
  
"Lucy's been making noises at me," Martis snapped. "Chocolates, roses, coffee ... just this afternoon he asked me to go to the student opera with him!"  
  
"Wait - he what?? When did this - ? Why?"  
  
Martis looked at Sev, and then pulled her sunglasses off. "Severus - Lucius Malfoy is after me. Those innuendoes last night weren't jokes and I confronted him about it this afternoon. The boy is on the rebound and he's targeted me for it!"  
  
Sev spent a long moment processing this. His only experience with so-called 'romantic' relationships was with Sonia Stellamaris...  
  
He stood up, his wand slipping down his sleeve and into his hand. "I'm not going to let what happened to me happen to you."  
  
"What?" Martis asked, getting up and following him out of the crawl-hole and to the spiral staircase.  
  
"I won't allow it!"  
  
Sev dashed down the stairs and across the walkway, into the dorm building and down more stairs, entered the Slytherin common room and up the stairs to the Slytherin boys' dorms, and burst into his dorm room where Lucius was drying his hair from a shower.  
  
"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?!?!" Sev demanded.  
  
"Which particular 'this'?" Lucius asked.  
  
Sev's wand snapped out, touching Lucius' throat. In a low, deadly voice, he asked, "What are you intending with Martis??"  
  
Lucius sneered slightly. "That is none of your concern - "  
  
"LIKE HELL!" Sev growled. "She's my best friend and I demand to know!"  
  
"You know, Snape, you can't keep her to yourself and not do anything about it. As I recall, she's very animate about not being anyone's property."  
  
Sev felt his blood boil. "And as I said before, she's my best friend - and I'm looking out for her." He flicked the wand up under Lucius' chin. "What do you intend with Martis?"  
  
"It would be no secret that I've coveted her attentions," Lucius admitted. "I'm surprised you're still innocent of such matters considering how ... affectionate she is."  
  
"A bit of respect mixed in with trust," Sev answered, feeling his ears get hot. "And that's none of your business, anyway. I thought you despised her."  
  
"I do, for the most part. But that's also what fascinates me about her - she doesn't react the way I'm used to girls reacting around me."  
  
"You mean falling before you and kissing your boots?" Sev snorted. "Spirals has more dignity than that."  
  
"Not only that but a will of iron!" Lucius smiled slightly, moving to the bureau and putting his bath supplies away. "All my life, I've become used to being obeyed and coddled and getting what I want - and then Britomartis Vox shows up her first day and calls me an uppity inbred snot."  
  
"Always was a good judge of character."  
  
Lucius ignored the backhanded insult. "Intriguing, to say the least. Subsequent encounters - ranging from name-calling to questioning my recreational habits - have left me wondering how anyone could get away with this sort of treatment of me. And why I allowed it."  
  
"She's not scared of you or your family's influence," Sev answered simply. "The center of her universe does not have anything remotely resembling you." He smirked. "If anything, you're simply a speck of space dust somewhere in an unfashionable part of the universe."  
  
Lucius turned to Sev. "If you truly do not wish for me to attempt to court Britomartis Vox, then all you have to do is declare yourself hers and have her agree to it."  
  
Sev felt his face burn up in a blush. "Didn't she tell you to get lost?"  
  
"I accepted it as a challenge." He shook his head. "What little you know about women, Severus! When they say 'no', they mean 'maybe'."  
  
"And what makes her the same in that respect if she's different in all others??"  
  
"That's the Way It Is."  
  
Sev controlled every instinct in his being to not call upon the demons to tear Lucius limb from limb. Disgusted, Sev snatched his wand away and stomped out of the dorm room and went back down to the common room.  
  
"What happened?" Martis demanded.  
  
"He admitted it," Sev stated through clenched teeth. "He's after you. He won't take 'no' for an answer." He looked up at her, seeing her lips tremble and her skin flush white. Sev put his wand down and squeezed her hand, forcing her attention on his face. "Martis, you're going with ME to the opera tomorrow night. Do you understand? I won't let him hurt you."  
  
She nodded, dumbstruck, then wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair, gently kissing the part of his jaw next to his ear. He held her tightly, squeezing her hard enough so that he assured himself he was not going to lose his best friend to Lucius Malfoy's better looks, higher wealth, and expert manipulations in areas Sev had only the foggiest ideas about.  
  
----------


	2. A Night at the Opera

CHAPTER TWO: A Night at the Opera  
  
Friday dawned bleary, the haze blanketing the sun in a watery glow. From the higher towers the ground and lake were practically invisible, the fog along the ground making the school appear to be a true castle in the clouds.  
  
Madame von Gruppen, the school's Divinations teacher, studied the soggy brown stuff at the bottom of her teacup that morning.  
  
"Ach, was soll's!" she cursed in her native German.  
  
If the patterns turned out to be true, a private battle could get pretty ugly. And several people were going to be hurt - not just physically, but in their souls as well.  
  
Perhaps today was a good day to stay inside for a change. She had all those teacups to wash...  
  
----------  
  
Breakfast and lunch played out similar to the day before, save that Martis completely ignored Lucius' presence and instead conversed with Sev (loudly) about going to the student opera together.  
  
Lucius sulked while Narcissa listened intently to the conversation as the duo discussed the storyline of the opera, comparing notes and interpretations from their perspectives.  
  
The Hogwarts Thespian Society was finally putting on the Wizard opera 'La Dame du Lac', a French opera written by the famous composer Musidora Barkwith. Unlike with her previous work 'The Wizarding Suite' (now banned due to the exploding tuba portion of the program), the French Renaissance piece was a gentler, more romantic (less dangerous) example of Madame Barkwith's brilliance in music.  
  
The HTS had been working on the production for two years: making costumes, working out spells for the special effects and lighting, learning the music, and rehearsing the opera in the Hogsmeade Town Hall.  
  
And now it was finally ready for both their classmates and Hogsmeade to watch in its full glory for one magical night!  
  
Slytherin students excitedly got ready in the common room, adjusting their ties and smoothing out wrinkles in their robes. Girls applied a little make- up and styled their hair, while the guys made sure they did not smell too badly.  
  
After all, they were going to take the carriages to Hogsmeade and watch it at the town hall with the citizens of the town. Which meant no Protection Spells would be active. Which meant a small slip of freedom.  
  
Lucius went out of his way to present Martis with a huge bouquet of red roses in front of every student in Slytherin, which promptly got him a thorough cussing-out in Minoan and Greek with a little Russian and Turkish thrown in for good measure, not to mention getting swatted by the roses as Martis chased him around the common room. Narcissa slipped in during the distraction and offered to sit next to Sev during the opera (Sev scooted away from her in response).  
  
Finally, students were called out and they all climbed into the two hundred- some-odd carriages waiting to take them to Hogsmeade.  
  
Martis and Sev clamored into one with her twin sisters, of which Lucius and Narcissa expressed disappointment and claimed other carriages.  
  
Narcissa was not pleased to find herself sharing a carriage with Slytherin Quidditch Captain Onslow Daizer, Keeper Fearghus Flynn, and Flynn's girlfriend the unmoving mountain Greta Bulstrode.  
  
The Quidditch players began talking about the upcoming Cup Match, so Narcissa conversed a little with Greta.  
  
"You could be such a pretty girl," Narcissa said. "If we styled your hair differently and put a little make-up on you." She eyed the big girl discreetly. "Perhaps even some proper undergarments and grooming."  
  
Greta rolled her eyes, her square jaw set. "Black, I'll never be a Lady of Slytherin. If you need muscle or someone to intimidate someone else, no problem. But I know I'm not beautiful in the conventional sense."  
  
Narcissa was rather surprised - this was the most she ever heard out of the Fourth-Year student, and was even more shocked that it came out fluently and rather cultured. Or the words being more than two syllables each.  
  
"Nonsense," Narcissa commented, finally finding her voice. "You could do so much better than Flynn - "  
  
"But I like Fearghus." Greta chuckled a little, her dark brown ponytails bouncing. "True, a little crude ... he gave me these joke glasses for a Valentine's gift at the last dance." She produced a pair of horn-rimmed glasses with a black and white spiral pattern on the lenses.  
  
"What are they?" Narcissa asked politely.  
  
"The joke shop called them 'X-Ray Glasses'. They allow you to look through objects, including clothes. We tried with the clothes, but we think the Protection Spells jammed it up. It works, though, we tested it by spying through classroom doors while out in the halls."  
  
"Really?" Narcissa asked, taking the glasses from her hand and looking them over for the first time. "Mind if I borrow them for a few minutes when we get to Hogsmeade?"  
  
"Not at all," Greta answered, accepting them back. She grinned. "I'm also curious as to what all the guys look like under their robes and uniforms, too."  
  
Narcissa nodded, trying not to let her distaste show. She had a similar idea along those lines, but she mainly wanted to see what her competition had that Lucius seemed so damned obsessed about. There was no other reason he would be after Vox.  
  
They arrived in Hogsmeade and were dropped off at the town hall, which was brilliantly decorated with fairies and golden bubbles, revealing the artistic touch of Professor Flitwick.  
  
As Greta got out of the carriage, Narcissa reached into the pocket of the girl's robe and withdrew the 'X-Ray Glasses'. Slipping them on discreetly, Narcissa scanned the crowd over the frames before she finally found Martis and Sev strolling across the walk to the entry.  
  
From her point, Narcissa saw both in profile, and pushed the glasses up on her nose to see if the 'X-Ray' part worked.  
  
Yes, it did.  
  
Martis was no different than any other female student. There was nothing remarkable about her form or development, save the fact that she was naturally dark all over as befitting a native Mediterranean.  
  
However, since Sev was in the line-of-sight, Narcissa got quite an eyeful she did not expect...  
  
Thin, scholarly-build, pale as herself, and...  
  
"Woof," she breathed. [The nose thing Akiko mentioned is right!]  
  
Narcissa pulled the glasses off and located Greta, slipping them back in the girl's pocket, and chased after Sev.  
  
She had been so worried of having to Go All the Way - and yet here was Severus just needing a woman's touch to teach him how to use what he has.  
  
But would he? He seemed indifferent to her most of the time, although he did like the attention she gave him yesterday in the library. Was there a way to get his attention fully on her?  
  
For one thing, get Vox out of the way. This might be reason enough to actually bless Lucius' desire for the Cretan.  
  
For another, a love spell she had once come across in one of Lucius' Dark Arts books may help in this respect.  
  
----------  
  
"What is this about, anyway?" Thomas St. Claire asked as he leaned forward in his seat and between Martis and Sev's heads.  
  
"Weren't you paying attention at all?" Martis asked.  
  
"No, I'm a jock." He grinned a thousand-watt smile.  
  
"It's the alleged love story between the wizard Merlin and the witch Morgan le Fay and their influences on a Muggle king named Arthur Pendragon," Martis answered.  
  
"As well as the last years of the isle of Avalon," Sev added. "Before it disappeared into the mists."  
  
"Groovy," Thomas stated. "So, it's really going to be in French, huh?"  
  
"'La Dame du Lac' translates as 'The Lady of the Lake', which is the title held by the witch of Avalon - at least when Morgan le Fay was in charge." Martis grinned. "There's been speculation if it were Morgan or Viviane who was doing all that stuff during that time."  
  
Narcissa Black settled in the seat next to Sev. "Perhaps it was neither - it might have been Nimue."  
  
"A triple-Goddess entity, then," Martis commented. "Not the first time it's happened in mythology. Although why Morgawse always is forgotten is beyond me."  
  
"But Merlin and Morgan were real wizards!" Narcissa objected. "They weren't myth!"  
  
"Far enough back in history for it to be counted as mythology," Sev corrected her. "I understand that the Muggles have spun huge myth structures around them and the things they did." He chuckled. "Of course, we aren't any better by supporting this opera."  
  
Narcissa leaned her chin on his shoulder, her lips touching his hair. "I heard there really wasn't a love story between them at all."  
  
"True," he admitted. "I'm positive they were unaware of it." Sev turned his face and mouthed, 'Help!'  
  
Martis blinked behind her sunglasses, then said, "Where's your twin- boyfriend, Black?"  
  
"I thought it's been made clear by now that we are no longer together - "  
  
"Sorry I'm late," Lucius' voice said. A wave of musky cologne fell over the group before Lucius sat down next to Martis.  
  
Martis scowled at him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Going to enjoy the opera," he answered.  
  
She waved her hand in front of her face. "Nice perfume - must you marinate in it? My eyes are burning."  
  
Sev and Narcissa giggled.  
  
Lucius sniffed, which nearly choked him but he was not going to let Narcissa see it. He brushed hair over his ear to see Martis better. "It'll fade in a few minutes, Britomartis."  
  
"Either the perfume will or I will," she muttered.  
  
The lights blinked three times, indicating it was time for students to finish taking their seats. The room quieted down as the lights finally faded to darkness, and the footlights slowly began to glow brighter.  
  
A lone flute played, followed by two violins and a cello, then the voice of the boy playing Merlin began to sing and the student orchestra lifted his voice aloft with their music.  
  
----------  
  
Unbeknownst to the entire hall during the performance, Narcissa had acquired three hairs from Sev's head. Pulling out three of her own, she began to braid them into a double braid, softly chanting the incantation of desire and need, binding him to her. Discreetly, she tied one end of the double-braid to the other and looked at Sev, needing the very last ingredient...  
  
As she debated how to get a drop of his blood, she began looking through her handbag to see what she had.  
  
A cuticle pusher with a razor scraper on the end. Perfect.  
  
Narcissa looked up, seeing Sev completely engrossed in the opera. Quickly, she scraped the razor end across the back of his wrist. He absently scratched his wrist as he continued to watch the performance.  
  
She flipped the cuticle pusher and used the pusher-end to scoop up a little blood; she smeared the blood along the hairs and allowed it to dry a little as she softly incanted the spell to bind his desires to her.  
  
Narcissa inhaled, and then finally placed the double-braid loop around her wrist.  
  
The scent of magic was hardly noticeable, especially with Lucius' cologne still overpowering the area. She had gotten away with making it ... now to see if it would work.  
  
Narcissa snaked her hand up Sev's arm and around his shoulder, laying her head against his own. He did nothing for a moment, then turned his head and kissed her forehead, something Severus Snape would never EVER do.  
  
Success!  
  
----------  
  
Martis was about to rename Lucius 'The Humanoid Octopus' by the time intermission mercifully arrived. She leapt out of her seat and climbed over the back row to where Thomas St. Claire and Evan Ryper were sitting with their dates.  
  
"How do I get rid of him?" she whispered.  
  
"Which one?" Evan asked. "The one who's been pretending he isn't feeling you up or the one pretending he isn't feeling up Narcissa?"  
  
"WHAT??"  
  
Evan jerked his head toward the exit and got up; she followed him out to the vestibule. "I thought you would notice. Snape and Black have been doing ... interesting things to each other right next to you."  
  
Martis felt her hair stand on end even though it did not show. "I would have noticed!"  
  
"Well, it is a very engaging opera." Evan folded his arms. "Martis ... Tom and I were watching it. We were placing bets on when you'd start pounding Narcissa. I think she did something to him."  
  
"She had to have if he's not screaming about an inbred slut copping him." Martis began pacing around.  
  
"Well, we figured out that much because we expected him to be feeling you up."  
  
Martis sighed. "Of course not, we're like soul-siblings."  
  
Evan smiled, and then became serious. "What do you want us to do?"  
  
"Why are you asking me?"  
  
"Because you're his best friend and we're his roommates and we all remember what happened with Teasey. We're not going to go through that crap again." He chuckled. "Besides, you'll only shoot down Tom's and my idea for what to do so we're asking you."  
  
"What was your idea?"  
  
"Having Snape tattoo 'Property of Spirals' on his skinny butt."  
  
Martis almost burst into laughter. "Bad enough he wrote 'Snips' Snow-Bunny' on my forehead during Christmas holidays."  
  
"Then there's hope for you two yet. Instructions?"  
  
"I have to think about it, Evan. I have to find out what she did to him first."  
  
He nodded. "And should we do anything about Malfoy?"  
  
"Short-sheet his bed with a cherry pie when you get back."  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" Evan saluted.  
  
----------  
  
The opera was over and the performers of both music and song were applauded with standing ovations, most especially for the two leads portraying Merlin and Morgan.  
  
The house lights came up and students got up to begin leaving the hall. A few couples snuck out and trotted around the corner to Madame Puddifoot's Tea House for a quick snog, while several stopped by the Three Broomsticks for a mug or two of warm butterbeer before they traveled back to the school in the chill April night.  
  
"Let's just go back to the school," Martis said, tugging on Sev's robe sleeve. "The game is tomorrow morning and we need to be ready."  
  
"You can go on back, Spirals," Sev told her. "You need the rest."  
  
"And what are you going to do?" she asked severely.  
  
"Narcissa and I are going to discuss the opera over tea."  
  
"Snips, we REALLY need to get back," Martis insisted, clutching his arm.  
  
Sev looked down at her. His eyes hardened, becoming long tunnels of darkness. "Britomartis, go away."  
  
Sev turned. Narcissa's expression of pure bliss as he wrapped an arm around her waist while they left the hall stabbed into Martis' chest, causing her head to fill with a roaring sound.  
  
"Fine," she found herself saying. "Go on, Snape. You might have forgotten you hate her guts, but I haven't." She ranted, "You're under the influence of a round-heeled face-sucker!" Then muttered, "I just haven't figured out how she did it ... "  
  
"Is there a problem, Britomartis?" Lucius asked.  
  
"Get lost," she snarled, turning heel and leaving the hall. She bypassed the carriages and set off on foot down the street, intending to walk the whole way back to the school.  
  
Lucius followed her, keeping a respectful pace a few steps behind.  
  
"Narcissa does have that effect on the male gender," Lucius commented after they left the train station and set out on the dark road around the lake. He pulled out his wand and said, "Lumos."  
  
"Any part of the male gender that doesn't have the least bit of self- discipline or self-respect," Martis snapped. "We've been through this with Sonia Stellamaris! All these blonde, blue-eyed bimbos have been taking advantage of him since the get-go. And he doesn't seem to learn!"  
  
"His loss," Lucius said, moving a pace closer to her. "If he cannot appreciate what he has, then he'll lose it ... " His voice softened as he appeared at her elbow. " ... to someone who would appreciate it."  
  
Martis looked up at him in her walk, then laughed and turned back to the road, picking her way over the dirt in the moonlight. "You can be almost humorous sometimes, Lucy."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"You're so very damn serious in your belief that I'm worth chasing after. What is it you really want from me? Hoppi-hoppa or the fact that I don't bore you to death like you bore me to death?"  
  
"Indeed, very little 'boring' actually goes on," he groused.  
  
Martis rubbed her shoulders. "If it weren't so cold, I'd probably laugh at the pun. May the Goddess forbid you ever to reveal your version of Earthy humor."  
  
Without hesitation, Lucius swept his cloak outward and wrapped part of it around her. "At least allow me to be gentleman enough to keep you warm."  
  
"I'll take blatant advantage of it, but don't expect any sort of payment."  
  
"I'm not the type to ask for payment," Lucius stated. "If anything, I offer most things freely."  
  
"Only if it suits you," Martis retorted, huddling under the cloak and closer to him. His hands may be like ice, but his torso was very, very warm, especially in this cold and damp weather.  
  
"Well, dear Britomartis, you've got me there. I do present myself as shallow - "  
  
"Because you are. You're incredibly good-looking - that's about the only thing that really impresses me. Your rants about influence, power, wealth, and Pureblood inbreeding bores me to tears."  
  
Lucius smirked. "At least I score one point in your favor."  
  
"Only when you're not hanging around Narcissa - half the time I hope that it's her in the showers when she comes in clothed; very hard to tell the difference between you two."  
  
"I'll ignore that." His arm drew around her shoulder under the cloak. "You're an exasperating girl."  
  
"You're a complete and total smeghead. Hands off."  
  
His fingertips caressed her throat, tracing up to the outline of her earlobe. "You're not stopping me," he whispered.  
  
"Give me a minute... " she breathed as his fingertips grazed along her jaw line.  
  
Martis tried to focus, but the touch - the intent - awoke things in her she was not aware of, especially that tightening in her stomach that made her knees go weak and her heart to beat faster and pour blood into her pelvis.  
  
[This is only a physical effect from a physical cause. I should cease the cause, but the physiological response is blurring my thinking...]  
  
Overriding these sporadic thought processes was a small part of her clawing for the attention, the need to be wanted, the want to be desired. He was Awakening her, and she was lost in the tide of feelings from her suddenly hypersensitive skin.  
  
His hand fully cupped her cheek and pressed her face toward his, causing both to stop in their walk. Martis felt her body rack in spasms of tension as Lucius' mouth enclosed over hers, his lips manipulating against her own as his other hand pulled her close against his body. She had to grip his shoulder to keep from falling to the ground due to her legs shaking uncontrollably.  
  
[Oh, Great Mother, I'm allowing Lucius Malfoy to kiss me! Kill me now! PLEASE!]  
  
She was rendered speechless, her body taking over her responses - which were limited to being frozen and allowing him to caress his lips across her cheek and to her ear. A hand wandered up her torso, getting dangerously near her breast.  
  
"Britomartis," he breathed. "I want you. Let me have you - "  
  
"Lucius - "  
  
He brushed his thumb lightly over a highly sensitive part of her chest. "I want to make love to you."  
  
Everything in her being stopped, skipped a heartbeat, and then crashed down like a train through the center of her body.  
  
Her focus had now reached super-sharp clarity.  
  
Martis pulled away from Lucius, finding her sunglasses and slipping them back on. "You can have me if you can carry me off in a Finnish Style Bridal Raid. SMEGHEAD."  
  
She stomped on his instep and dashed the rest of the way to the castle gate and through the courtyard, bypassing the entrance to the dorms, and raced up through the school building and into the Conversation Room. She threw herself on the stone floor and clutched her sides, forcing herself to cry tears that she could not summon.  
  
[Everything's falling apart! Snips is being taken away from me! Lucius just wanted me for his perverted lusts! Narcissa -  
  
[Narcissa put a love spell on Severus! Why else would he have...? GREAT MOTHER!]  
  
----------  
  
Sev began to notice little things about Narcissa he had never noticed before - the way her hair slipped over her shoulders, how her lips were a pink rose-petal color, how the hollow of her neck slipped up her creamy throat...  
  
She was beautiful, exquisite, like a snow queen or an ethereal vision. And the crystal sapphire of her blue eyes was like a sugar frost...  
  
But all that could be overpowered when she breathed, causing her chest to expand, or the fact she smelled good and that he wanted to slowly undress her before...  
  
Gods, what insane ramblings to have in a teahouse!  
  
"What are you thinking?" Narcissa asked.  
  
"How to get you alone," Sev admitted, staring intently into her face. He brushed his hair back over his ears. "You probably think I'm some idiot, but ... I've wanted you the whole evening. I've nothing much to offer you, though."  
  
Narcissa reached across the table and placed her finger on his lips. Sev darted his tongue out and licked her fingertip, keeping his dark eyes to hers.  
  
"Your offer is tempting, Severus," she breathed.  
  
"Will you allow me?" He raised his hand and held her fingers, kissing the palm of her hand. "I promise to give you my full attentions and my willingness to please you."  
  
[Poor Severus ... even Britomartis had not relieved you of your virgin burden, despite the rumors.]  
  
Narcissa leaned over the table, closing her eyes as she licked along his bottom lip, over the upper lip, and then pressing into his mouth as her lips met his.  
  
He moaned against her mouth, holding her face to prolong his First Kiss. Her mouth was incredible, tasting unlike anything he had ever known, as the soft, moist textures of her mouth played against his tongue.  
  
He reluctantly released her ... and briefly wondered how Martis had been replaced by Narcissa.  
  
Oh, yes, he was kissing Narcissa. That's right. Only Narcissa, the one he wanted.  
  
"Tell you what," Narcissa whispered against his lips. "You find us a private place that the Protection Spells won't touch, and we'll start your education tomorrow night."  
  
"I will do so, my love."  
  
----------  
  
A pounding on his private rooms' door had awakened Professor Sejanus Sartoris out of a sound sleep. Grumbling, intending to curse whichever idiot student dared to disturb him, he opened the door to find Britomartis Vox on the other side.  
  
"Severus has been enchanted!" Martis cried before he could open his mouth.  
  
"Beg pardon?" Sartoris asked.  
  
"He's got a spell on him by some trollop! How do we break lust spells?"  
  
"Why are you asking me?" he demanded.  
  
"Because you're the Potions Master! You must have SOME antidote laying around!"  
  
Sartoris sighed. [Not good. Snape's going to plotz when he hears what happened to his son.] "Do you know what type of spell?" he asked aloud.  
  
"Either a love or a lust spell - I'm betting on a lust one."  
  
"Which one in particular?" Sartoris inquired impatiently. "Each spell has its own unique counterspell or antidote - you can't just throw a counterspell at it and it'll be fixed; it either won't work or just exacerbate the problem."  
  
"Then what am I to do?"  
  
"Find out what spell was used - I'm quite sure you can persuade the caster to tell you." He folded his arms. "If you come by my office tomorrow morning, I can give you a crystal that will determine how powerful the enchantment is. It may help to narrow down what type was used."  
  
Martis nodded. "Meanwhile, I need to make sure nothing happens."  
  
"You need to - consummation of such enchantments can either result in extreme hate or eternal bondage to the caster."  
  
"No way. I'll break her pelvis before she gets him." Martis looked up at him. "I'll be at your office before breakfast. Night, sir."  
  
"Good night." Sartoris entered his rooms and closed the door, exhaling loudly. Teenagers were too damned exhausting.  
  
----------  
  
The next morning Martis ran into the Great Hall when it was just an hour before the game and only a few students were studying. She held aloft a large rose quartz in her hand, heading toward the Slytherin tables.  
  
"I'VE GOT IT!" she yelled, rushing up to Sev. "Hold still!"  
  
"What are you doing, Martis?" he demanded, obviously irritated that someone interrupted his study time with Narcissa.  
  
"Seeing what kind of spell peroxide-bitch put you under," she answered, sneering at Narcissa.  
  
"What are you - ?!" Narcissa began to yell.  
  
But the yell was suspended due to the rose quartz - which had been waved over Sev's head - shattering, causing shards of quartz to rain all over those within a five-foot radius.  
  
"What the freak was that for??" Peony Danderfluff asked angrily.  
  
The few Slytherins brushed quartz off their hair and robes, grumbling about Spirals' odd habits as they went back to studying.  
  
At the head table - sharing tea - sat the Heads of House of Gryffindor and Slytherin, whom were turning white at the spectacle of the shattering quartz.  
  
Martis picked up Narcissa by the tie, making the Fifth-Year stare back into her sunglasses. "What kind of lust spell did you put on him, Black?"  
  
Narcissa stared at Martis coldly, gripping the Second-Year girl's wrist. "What makes you think I put any spell on him?"  
  
"Because he is acting completely out of character for himself - he doesn't like you, much less want to do anything with you. And anything intimate scares the Avernus out of him. I know him better than any of you, and you - Narcissa Black - is the last person he wants."  
  
"That's a lie," Sev stated, also grabbing Martis' wrist. "Let go of Narcissa."  
  
"Severus, you've been mind-raped."  
  
"I have not - !"  
  
Martis released Narcissa and turned to him. "If you haven't, why the bloody hell are you trying to stick your tongue down her throat? That isn't you - you haven't even the guts to kiss me and I'm the person you trust the most in your whole life! And yet you're trying to get your rocks off with her, of all people! You've been mind-raped!"  
  
Sev grabbed her tie, forcing her to stare into his dark eyes. "Martis, keep out of this."  
  
"Severus, you're not yourself."  
  
"You can't get in the way this time. I'm going to have her."  
  
"You've never wanted her! The first time I met you, you were calling her a 'dysenteric weasel with a terminal case of hemorrhoids'. And the description was spot on!"  
  
"Things change."  
  
"Not overnight!"  
  
He yanked down on her tie, releasing her. "Forget it. I'm having Narcissa - and you won't stop me. I'm taking her up to the Conversation Room tonight - "  
  
Martis snatched her sunglasses off, her moss green eyes staring hard into his own. "Over - my - dead - body," she seethed. "That's OUR place!"  
  
"Who says?"  
  
"We BOTH said! If you TRY to take her up there, I WILL break your legs!"  
  
"Why?" Sev sneered. "Are you planning on taking Malfoy up there?"  
  
"Hell NO!"  
  
"Then you better explain it to him - here he comes."  
  
Martis turned around - and her whole world suddenly turned upside-down as someone lifted her up by the ankles and draped her over their back, locking her knees over his shoulders.  
  
Martis gazed at Sev, who seemed to be sitting next to Narcissa on the ceiling while students began to get out of their seats, at least until her robe fell in her face.  
  
"WHAT THE AVERNUS IS GOING ON?!?!" she shrieked.  
  
"Finnish-style Bridal Raid, as requested," Lucius' voice answered.  
  
"LET OUR SISTER GO, MALFOY!" the twins and Phaedra ordered.  
  
The commotion turned into an uproar as the Vox sisters leapt over the tables toward Lucius, whom appeared to be kidnapping Martis. The entire Great Hall filled with shouts and cries of either horror or laughter, while McGonagall and Penderdandis tried to calm the few scores of students down.  
  
Seeing the Vox sisters chasing after Lucius, both teachers decided they would deal with the Fifth-Year later.  
  
Unfortunately for Martis, due to being held upside-down on Lucius' back, not only did her robe fall but so did her skirt...  
  
Everyone saw the pink panties.  
  
The Marauders wolf-whistled, which promptly got them swatted by every female Gryffindor around them, along with a few Hufflepuff girls nearest them offering their own punishment to the boys.  
  
Sev turned, saw Lucius running off with Martis, her sisters chasing after them, and the entire Slytherin Quidditch team in hot pursuit.  
  
He got up, but Narcissa clutched his arm. "Where you going, lover?" she purred.  
  
"I - " Sev looked down at her; she licked along her lower lip. He shrugged and sat back down. "None of my business."  
  
Sev did not understand why Evan Ryper and Martis' roommates were shooting dirty looks at him.  
  
----------  
  
"You saw it shatter, Gallo," Minerva McGonagall stated after the students settled down into conversations.  
  
"Indeed I did, Professor McGonagall," Professor Penderdandis answered quietly. "It does worry me."  
  
"Do something about it."  
  
"And how? Start accusing various individuals of practicing the Dark Arts?"  
  
"You know as well as I that lust spells are the equivalent of rape; it's forcing someone to feel and act in ways they never would on their own." McGonagall gazed at him over her rectangular glasses. "We also know that Miss Vox looks out for Mr. Snape like her own - and I've always suspected Miss Black - "  
  
Penderdandis pushed his glasses up on his face. "Minerva, kindly butt out of the affairs of my House."  
  
"I'm only expressing concern - "  
  
"And it is shared, but I know something you don't."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
Penderdandis' mouth fell into a straight line. "My students are perfectly capable of handling it when they set their minds to it. I am positive Miss Vox will rescue Mr. Snape from the enchantment."  
  
"This is beyond the experience of a Second-Year student, Gallo," she reminded him. "Lust spells are near impossible to break without at least Seventh-Year training."  
  
"And any idiot can pick up a book and cast the spell without even their OWL- levels. That's what makes Dark Arts popular - any moron can generate powerful effects without study. Luckily the side-effects kill the real morons."  
  
McGonagall shook her head. "It's a miracle any of your students make it out of Slytherin alive."  
  
Penderdandis smiled grimly. "Some don't. It builds character to face challenges that aren't in textbooks - using one's wits and resourcefulness is all that really matters in the end."  
  
"This is still getting reported to the Headmaster."  
  
"As it should be."  
  
---------- 


	3. Slytherin Victory

CHAPTER THREE: Slytherin Victory  
  
Martis had been rescued by her sisters and the Quidditch team, resulting in a severely-beaten and unconscious Lucius to be taken to Nurse Pomfrey, fifty points from Slytherin for causing a disturbance (five points from the Quidditch team and forty-five for Lucius' behavior), and insult added to Lucius' injury when Remus Lupin showed up in the hospital wing and wrote 'Lucy is a Squib' across the resident Malfoy's forehead.  
  
In the end, Martis was in a hell of a way by the time the team got ready for the Cup Match in their prep room.  
  
Amazing. Something always came up to get her in the proper frame of mind for Quidditch games. She wondered what piece of equipment she would destroy this time.  
  
The team got up, their brooms clutched in their hands, and strode to the entrance.  
  
Captain Onslow Daizer looked over his team. "We've a chance of winning the Cup for the First Time in twenty-eight years, folks. All we have to do is keep the point spread below two hundred twenty points. I would prefer to go out in a victory, but a loss by less than two hundred twenty is all we need."  
  
"Let's make Penderdandis proud," Beater Markham Dearling stated.  
  
"Come back with our shields or on them," Martis added.  
  
"Ready?" Seeker Thomas St. Claire asked.  
  
"Ready," the Chaser Woot brothers answered.  
  
"Sick to my stomach," Chaser Jonas Kennebunk admitted.  
  
"Barf on the Gryffies," Keeper Fearghus Flynn suggested.  
  
"Here we go," Onslow said, as the drape opened.  
  
They mounted their brooms, and then shot out of the entry, circling the pitch, then broke off into all areas.  
  
The crowd was pretty much divided - Gryffindor and Hufflepuff wearing scarlet rosettes and waving gold and scarlet banners, while Slytherin and Ravenclaw wore green scarves and waved their own silver and green banners. The banners proclaimed 'GO SLYTHERIN' or 'SNAKES SQUEEZE THE CUP'. One was hand-painted with the words 'WILL YOU MARRY ME, BACKBEAT SPIRALS??' while others had proposals for Thomas St. Claire. The silver snake on the huge main banner literally glittered in the sunlight.  
  
In the faculty stands House Master Gallo Penderdandis wore a green robe over his dark blue suit and House Mother Rowena Price wore a green cape over her indigo gown. Miss Price grinned herself silly while Penderdandis remained stone-faced save for the slight smile of pride he permitted himself to show.  
  
Madame Hooch stepped out onto the field, gazing up at the team captains of Slytherin and Gryffindor. "Daizer, Bell - off the brooms. Come down and shake hands."  
  
Onslow Daizer and Bertram Bell descended to the pitch and clutched the others' hand in a tight shakes, trying to glare down the other while breaking their fingers.  
  
"Lose it again, Daizer," Bertram snorted.  
  
"Kiss my Bludger, Bell," Onslow answered.  
  
They pulled apart and got back on their brooms, climbing back up into the air with their teammates.  
  
"Keep it clean and play hard," Hooch intimated. She released the Golden Snitch, the Bludgers, and finally the Quaffle - and the game was on.  
  
----------  
  
Slytherin and Gryffindor were tied fifty-fifty after a half hour, playing as hard as Madame Hooch ordered. Two penalties were given to Slytherin, notably after Beater Markham Dearling claimed he thought James Potter's head was a Bludger ('Do Bludgers wear glasses, you Neanderthal Moron?!') and Keeper Fearghus Flynn had attempted to kick Sirius Black in the face when he tried to score a goal ('Sorry, I thought he was a long-haired Quaffle.')  
  
Gryffindor's Seeker was spending more time dodging Bludgers than chasing the Snitch. It did not help matters as Slytherin Seeker Thomas St. Claire sat to the side on his broom and watched the game as he combed his Afro with his Lucky Hair-Pick.  
  
"Time to chase it," Onslow stated.  
  
Thomas nodded, sticking the pick in his hair. "Here we go!"  
  
He dove into the melee of Chasers and Beaters, his green robe fluttering in the wind.  
  
Martis spotted Thomas and flew over to cover him, taking on one Bludger after another as the Gryffindor Beaters slammed them toward the Slytherin Seeker. She backhanded them in return.  
  
Another ten points to Gryffindor - the Quaffle was snatched away by Keith Woot, who tossed it back to Ryan and then threw it back to his brother, keeping it out of reach of the Gryffindor Chasers.  
  
Sirius Black somersaulted over Ryan Woot, grabbed the Quaffle, then landed on his broom and tossed it to James Potter. The mass swerved around to the opposite end of the pitch.  
  
Thomas set his jaw and chased after the Snitch over the heads of the crowd; Gryffindor's Seeker tailed not far behind him, also focused on the Snitch.  
  
The Gryffindor Beaters (Captain Bell one of them) were keeping Martis busy with defending her team's Seeker - which took up all of her concentration to keep track of both Bludgers. She realized they had finally figured out how to keep her busy during the game.  
  
"MARK!" she yelled. "Get their Seeker!" She hit a Bludger in his direction.  
  
Markham nodded, hitting the Bludger back.  
  
It missed the Gryffindor Seeker.  
  
The Seekers were now neck-to-neck, their hands reaching out for the Snitch -  
  
The Bludger slammed into Thomas St. Claire's side.  
  
Stunned, Thomas fell to the grassy pitch, crashing into a heap.  
  
This was overlooked by the fact the Gryffindor Seeker caught the Golden Snitch. A roar came up from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, while Slytherin and Ravenclaw hissed.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR WINS THE GAME AT TWO-HUNDRED-TEN TO FIFTY!" the student announcer cried. "BUT SLYTHERIN WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!"  
  
Ravenclaw and Slytherin howled in triumph.  
  
The Woot brothers grabbed Markham and Jonas up in mid-air bear hugs while Fearghus flew figure eights around the hoops and Onslow shrieked in glee and performed flips on his broom. Bertram Bell flew up to Onslow and both shook hands, grinning their faces off.  
  
Martis flew down to the pitch and checked on Thomas, who was sitting up and rubbing his side but grinning like a maniac. He hugged her around the shoulders as she picked him up, but both were overwhelmed by the human wave of students coming down to the pitch to congratulate the Slytherins for winning their first Cup Match in twenty-eight years.  
  
Martis was surprised to find herself lifted on the shoulders of her housemates like the rest of her team, her sisters leading the way with their war whoops; even Thomas was gently lifted up as all were carried to the faculty stand where the Headmaster waited with the huge Cup. They were deposited in front of the faculty, becoming quiet.  
  
Penderdandis was next to Dumbledore, his grin nearly making his face split open and his pince-nez glasses to fall off his nose. Dumbledore smiled kindly as he handed the Cup to Onslow.  
  
"I present the Quidditch Cup to Slytherin, winner of this year at five- hundred and twenty points. Congratulations: Captain Daizer, Mr. St. Claire, Mr. Dearling, Miss Vox, Mr. Woot, Mr. Kennebunk, Mr. Woot, and Mr. Flynn." He turned to the House Master. "And congratulations to your House, Professor Penderdandis."  
  
The Slytherins cheered and whistled, drowning out all other noise.  
  
Martis felt a hand squeeze hers and she looked back to see Sev smiling at her. She squeezed his hand back. "Thanks, Snips," she whispered as she turned and hugged him.  
  
He hugged her in return. "Despite what you claim, I'll always be here for you."  
  
Martis grinned and pulled away, noticing the student photographer taking pictures. She posed with Sev, hugging him, his arm around her, and the photographer snapped the picture - as Sev raised his arm behind her head.  
  
"What was that?" she asked.  
  
"Bunny ears," he answered, grinning.  
  
She laughed as well, hugging him again. "Please, please, please be at the Victory Party with me, Snips."  
  
He pulled away, looking everywhere else but at her. Martis reached over to him and held his face in her hands. "Severus, please think about why you want to be with Narcissa. It won't make sense once you analyze it through."  
  
Sev glanced up at her, then said, "I know what I'm doing."  
  
The team made their way back to the prep room and Martis watched him return to the stands.  
  
"I hope you do. I really hope you do."  
  
----------  
  
Lunch for Slytherin was spent in the common room as the Cup Victory Party kicked off with a fancy feast for the House that lead into honoring every member of the Quidditch team with toasts and speeches.  
  
Martis hated this part. The British Wizards (especially teenagers) had no idea how to hold a proper ceremony and feast, as she knew such things to be refined and practiced on Crete. Also, the fact that several members of her own house propositioned her (mostly guys, but a few girls) did not sit well with her either.  
  
It probably had to do with the dress - a turquoise mist of a classical Greek-style gown with exposed arms and draped neckline and sheer enough to see her skin tone beneath the material. It still covered a lot more than her tunics did back home.  
  
But these teenagers were not used to Mediterranean casual. And never mind their reactions if they ever see the bull-leaping costumes!  
  
The Streaker provided a little welcomed distraction, even though a mask covered his face and his body was misted out due to a Protection Spell. A good portion of the girls made noises of disgust and told Henry Goyle to put his clothes back on because they did not want to see his 'love-handled and puckered backend'.  
  
Martis had kept an eye on Sev the whole afternoon. Which was not hard to do. Seeing her best friend cuddling in a corner with Narcissa Black made her stomach turn, but at least they were in plain sight and not trying to find private places to do the hoppi-hoppa. And they did not set off a Protection Spell once...  
  
Unlike half of her teammates. The hormones were really beginning to choke her. Plus she had to kick Jonas Kennebunk in the cods after he transfigured water into rum and tried to get 'chummy' with her. While he was holding himself and trying not to squeak, everyone stole the rum and passed it around.  
  
"Where's the band?" Thomas St. Claire asked as he came back from the hospital wing, discharged with instructions to not overextend himself with his bruised kidney.  
  
"They're late," Evan Ryper replied. "I booked them for four o'clock, just to make sure we got back in time from the game."  
  
"It's already five," Demetrius Jones added.  
  
A shimmer in the space-time made their hair stand on end a moment (well, Evan's hair, since Thomas and Demetrius had an Afro and dreads respectively and were not as dry as Evan's) and they turned to see two men and a woman standing in the stairway to the House Master and Mother's rooms and looking a little disoriented.  
  
"You're the band, right?" Evan greeted them.  
  
"Must be," Thomas added, grinning. "Look at her boots."  
  
"Damn quantum flux," the dark-haired man with the scar grumbled. "We couldn't pop up in the Forest, no - that would be convenient."  
  
The woman smiled, striding up to the boys. She was still a head shorter than Evan and Demetrius, even though she was wearing sky-high stiletto black leather thigh-high boots with an equally short leather skirt. Her green robe was laced up over her torso, but still exposed the skirt and boots. Long frizzy brown hair completed her appearance. "Well, the temporary band at any rate."  
  
The man with long red hair pulled back in a ponytail glanced at the man with messy black hair and round glasses. The dark-haired man shrugged and mouthed 'Play along.'  
  
"Great!" Evan said. "What are you called?"  
  
The dark-haired man blurted, "SPEW."  
  
"Groovy!" Thomas stated.  
  
The woman shot a dirty look at the man as they followed the boys to the stage, then turned to the boys, "So what are we playing for again?"  
  
"Slytherin Cup Match Victory," Demetrius answered. "First time in almost thirty years."  
  
"Right time," the dark-haired man murmured.  
  
The woman nodded. "Have you seen this girl?" She produced a wizard photograph of a twelve-year-old girl with wild red hair, glasses, freckles, brown eyes, and wearing a Hufflepuff robe and scarf. The girl was apparently trying to pull somebody with a spiked bracelet into the picture with her, but he obviously did not want to be photographed.  
  
"Nope," Thomas said. "But I'll be on the lookout, she's very cute."  
  
"That's my daughter, punk," the redheaded man snarled.  
  
"Sorry." Thomas chuckled. "I meant it in a wholesome way, sir. I prefer the big-boned island beauties myself."  
  
"Here we are," Evan said. "Everything's set up - have fun."  
  
The woman looked around, then located a guitar and checked it over. "Well, the equations were right - we dropped in at one of the turning points."  
  
"Turning points?" the redheaded man asked as he picked up a pair of drumsticks.  
  
"Yes. We're focusing on Snape and Vox, and we'll pop in at their turning points and crises - just like the kids. Look - Snape's with Narcissa Malfoy. And Vox is about to break hell loose. Just like the story."  
  
"What are you talking about?" the dark-haired man asked, experimentally plucking a bass.  
  
"Nothing. It's something us wives talked about. I would have expected the kids to show up at a time like this, though."  
  
The redheaded man sat behind the drums. "Ready?"  
  
"Check," the other two confirmed.  
  
"ALL RIGHT!" the redheaded man cried out, getting everyone's attention. "We're the band SPEW - that's the Dude Who Lived on the bass, Spanky on the lead, and I'm NOT the Caped Crusader on drums! VICTORY TO SLYTHERIN!"  
  
The dark-haired and scarred 'Dude-Who-Lived' did not make as bad a face as he could have. At least his muttered indecencies could not be heard over the cheers and wolf-whistles of the Slytherin student body.  
  
Spanky strummed out a harsh rock intro, and the group dove into a hard- driving rock song with her singing lead:  
  
"Waiting hours in the rain  
waiting hours for my pain  
To wash away  
and leave me here again."  
  
Sev got up and made his way over to the other side of the common room, trying to find Martis in the crowd.  
  
"Waiting hours in the night  
waiting hours by your side  
Until you turn around  
and see me here again."  
  
Martis looked up and smiled. "Hey, Snips. Joined reality again?"  
  
"This music is too loud," Sev complained.  
  
"Perfectly fine to me, although the bass-player looks like James Potter."  
  
"Every river that I cry  
becomes an ocean in my mind  
Every time you have to lie  
I start to drown, I start to die ..."  
  
"Can't be Potter. That guy's really old."  
  
"True, must be twice his age," Martis agreed. "What'cha up to?"  
  
"I'm taking Narcissa up to the Conversation Room."  
  
Martis' mouth opened and she began screaming obscenities that were drowned out by the music and chorus.  
  
"Wash me away  
It starts today  
Can you feel the difference?  
Am I the one  
who'll make you come  
around to your senses?  
Wash me away  
It starts today  
Can you feel the difference?  
Am I the one  
who'll make you come  
around to your senses?"  
  
"I FORBID IT!" Martis finally shrieked.  
  
"You can't stop me!" Sev argued.  
  
"WATCH ME!" Martis turned and stalked across the common room crowd, finding Narcissa in front of the mirror.  
  
"Watching weeks turn into months  
Well I've been feeling weak and feeling numb  
Until you come around  
and see me here again."  
  
"Narcissa Black."  
  
Narcissa turned and found a wand almost up her nose.  
  
"Tell me how you cursed him!"  
  
Narcissa snorted. "No."  
  
"Walking barefoot down a mountain  
Walking barefoot through a fountain  
Until you come back  
and see me here again ... "  
  
"CONJUNCTIVITUS!"  
  
Narcissa screamed, clawing at her eyes and causing everyone to freeze, including the musicians.  
  
Narcissa tried to locate her wand as Martis grabbed her hair. "You manipulative, Dark Arts-using slut! I don't know what game you're playing, but you [CENSORED] keep Severus out of it! If it's about your leg-humping boyfriend being a slut himself, then take it up with him! HOW DID YOU CURSE SEVERUS?!?!"  
  
"Martis!" Sev called. "Stop it!"  
  
Martis pulled Narcissa's hair again. "TELL ME OR I WILL TEAR OUT YOUR WOMB!"  
  
Narcissa's hand desperately reached up and slapped squarely across Martis' mouth, causing her sunglasses to fly across the room and blood to splatter on the approaching Sev.  
  
He stood shock still for less than a second.  
  
[Somebody hurt Martis.]  
  
The common room broke into an uproar as Sev descended on Narcissa and began slamming his fists into her face. Martis, still bleeding from the mouth, tried to pull him off.  
  
"Sev! Don't do this! Severus!"  
  
At that moment, Lucius Malfoy showed up, took in the sight of Sev beating up Narcissa, and raised his cane, intending to kill Sev.  
  
Martis turned, sprinted up to him, grabbed the cane out of hands, then swept it in a great arc around to the back of his head, sending him out cold to the floor of the common room.  
  
"Onslow!" Martis yelled. "Get Sev off of Black!"  
  
It took most all of the Quidditch team to snag the rage-filled Sev and pull him off of Narcissa - then Evan and Demetrius helped by restraining his legs from kicking Narcissa's head in.  
  
"They're distracted!" Spanky said. "Search the place!"  
  
Miss Price and Professor Penderdandis rushed breathlessly into the room, surveying the unconscious Malfoy, the badly beaten Black, Snape struggling and snarling while being constrained by the Quidditch team and then some, and Vox holding Lucius' cane and bleeding.  
  
The members of SPEW had vanished during the chaos.  
  
----------  
  
"Well, the good news is the curse that had been put on him is broken," Miss Price said a little while later in the quiet of her rooms. "The bad news is that he's catatonic."  
  
"Is that the result of a curse breaking?" Martis asked, sitting on the couch next to the fetal-knotted Sev and stroking his hair while his head lay in her lap.  
  
Miss Price slipped her round glasses off and cleaned them with the hem of her gown. "No. This reaction is the person realizing they were 'mind- raped', as you put it." She placed her glasses back on.  
  
Penderdandis continued the explanation, "Charms and enchantments caused to make people feel what they normally would not are considered Dark Arts for that reason - they're no better than the Imperius Curse."  
  
"And such emotions as one's love and lust manipulated like that will literally feel like rape," Miss Price concluded.  
  
Penderdandis stared down at the subdued and huddled Narcissa, who was curled up on the other couch, her bruised face hidden in her folded arms. "We found the charm on Miss Black - it was made with hairs and a drop of blood. At least that's what I gathered before it disintegrated. And if I understand the type of incantation she used, it is one of the most hazardous lust spells to use. Dark Arts always have a way of backfiring on the caster - the result of this one would have been obsession on the victim's part until he murdered the caster to keep her to himself."  
  
Narcissa's shivering increased.  
  
"Pity," Martis commented coldly. "If it wasn't Sev being involved, death would do Black a world of good."  
  
Narcissa whimpered.  
  
"Britomartis!" Miss Price scolded.  
  
"I'm not apologizing, especially after what she did to Severus."  
  
"Excused," Penderdandis stated. "Miss Price, Dark Arts is still Dark Arts. Inexcusable."  
  
A knock came on the door and the Headmaster entered. "I came as soon as I heard. How is Severus?"  
  
Martis looked up at Dumbledore. "Fallen apart, no thanks to the faculty. After this morning's displays, NOTHING was done about it."  
  
"And would you have preferred us interrupting your crusade to save him?" Penderdandis asked. "You did not exactly ask for help."  
  
Martis' nose wrinkled as she narrowed her eyes. "I did. Ask Sartoris." She turned back to Dumbledore, who walked over to the fireplace. "Students aren't even safe from the - "  
  
The Headmaster threw Floo Powder into the fireplace. "Professor Sartoris, please come here."  
  
Sartoris suddenly appeared out of the fireplace, brushing ashes and soot off of his dark gray robes. "You summoned me, Headmaster?"  
  
Penderdandis began to attack. "According to Miss Vox here, you KNEW about Mr. Snape being under a lust spell!"  
  
"So I did," Sartoris answered, making sure not to look at Martis. "I gave Miss Vox the tools to determine what sort of spell it may have been so we could work on an antidote."  
  
"And yet," Dumbledore said softly. "Did you inform anyone in the faculty or attempt to contact me about this?"  
  
Sartoris was silent a moment then answered, "I did not think it wise to bring others into something so dangerous."  
  
"Dangerous?" Martis repeated. "And you sent me out there armed with nothing but a giant quartz??"  
  
"Your concern could not be overridden," Sartoris replied to her. "And you never gave me an answer."  
  
"I'm quite sure the entire school found out about it just before the game," Martis retorted. "How Vox carried a rose quartz into the Great Hall and it shattering all over the place. From what everyone was muttering about, anyone above a Third-Year would know what THAT meant."  
  
Dumbledore raised his hand, making Martis quiet down. "You've endangered the lives of three students, Professor."  
  
"It was a lapse in judgment, sir."  
  
"In such matters, a lapse in judgment is unacceptable. Perhaps probation for the rest of the year will help you in remembering to place the welfare and safety of students above all other things?"  
  
Sartoris lowered his head and nodded. "I understand, sir."  
  
"We'll talk more later. Dismissed."  
  
Sartoris Flooed himself back to his office and Dumbledore turned to the House Master, House Mother, Martis, Sev, and Narcissa. "Back to what we were discussing. Has Miss Black been spoken to?"  
  
"Yes. Parents were also owled," Miss Price answered. "I took care of the minor injuries to all involved, including the Conjunctivitus hex Martis placed on Narcissa. We were unsure of a suitable punishment for Narcissa for such an offense - "  
  
"Azkaban's the usual punishment," Penderdandis interrupted. "I'm inclined to agree with Miss Vox's wordage - Azkaban might do Miss Black a world of good."  
  
Narcissa began to whimper again.  
  
"Professor Penderdandis, we do not scare students," Dumbledore stated. "However, this will be dealt with accordingly. Right now, I suggest Miss Black be taken to the hospital wing to get medical treatment for those bruises and broken nose."  
  
Miss Price and Professor Penderdandis escorted the girl out.  
  
Dumbledore sighed and sat down next to Martis. "I repeat my question: how is Severus?"  
  
"In shock," she answered flatly, her hand resting on Sev's shoulder. "After he stopped screaming, he began muttering and crying. Most of it about killing Black for doing something even his monster father never did. That was mixed in with apologies to me and disgust at himself for being violent. He shut down about ten minutes ago."  
  
"I'm so sorry, Martis," Dumbledore said, gently touching her hair. "I hadn't known what was going on with this ... "  
  
"You have a thousand students to look after, I don't expect you to specially look after us." She managed a sick smile. "I'm used to it."  
  
"What happened was still unacceptable - to both of you. Mr. Malfoy's behavior would have resulted in the same ending as Miss Black's ... two innocent souls caught up in Mr. Malfoy and Miss Black's mess and being torn to shreds for petty ideas of what's important."  
  
"I never expected to hear you speak badly of students, sir."  
  
"I'm speaking about their behavior." Dumbledore held her chin and turned her head to look at him. "When something of this magnitude is involved, I want you to tell me immediately. Professor Sartoris' inaction almost caused murder and had traumatized Severus." He touched the boy's hair. "This Dark Child is as fragile as fairies' wings, but there's Darkness in him that could destroy those that underestimate him. A dangerous combination."  
  
"And Black underestimated," Martis added.  
  
"By miles." He released her chin. "She did not count on you risking your life for him, nor did she count on his devotion to you to break the enchantment."  
  
"What?" Martis asked.  
  
Dumbledore closed his eyes, and then opened them. "I thought you knew. From what I understand about the curse and the circumstances, Severus had broken out of the spell when he saw you being hurt."  
  
Martis was silent, glancing down at Sev in her lap, then looked back up at the Headmaster again. "Then why didn't he go ballistic when Malfoy tried to kidnap me?"  
  
"Perhaps it had to be related to the caster doing the violence?"  
  
"Maybe." Martis felt a warmth for Sev, a warmth that threatened to make her burst into tears; that his ... 'devotion' ... to her was strong enough to break one of the worst lust spells cast on anyone. The feeling of knowing of such protection, love, and adoration overwhelmed her and she leaned against the Headmaster's shoulder and cried while she held Sev's shocked body.  
  
Dumbledore wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder, holding her, as he gently stroked the messy hair of the boy's head. His children had been through so much; was there an end in sight for either of them?  
  
He allowed her to compose herself before he asked, "Whatever did happen to Lucius Malfoy?"  
  
Martis bit her lip. "I think he's still out cold in the common room." She brushed Sev's hair, looking down at him. "I certainly hope he now understands that I'm not interested."  
  
"Very likely." He hugged her again. "Shall we take Severus upstairs to his room? I'm quite sure he would like his own bed."  
  
"I wouldn't be able to look after him. He'll need me when he wakes up."  
  
"You'll find ways." The Headmaster smiled gently. "You both always do."  
  
----------  
  
After she helped Dumbledore take Sev up to his dorm room, Martis came back down to the common room to see what had happened since the fight.  
  
Evan Ryper was collecting winnings on the outcome of the 'Snape/Black Break- Up' while he actually paid out a large chunk of cash to Peony Danderfluff for predicting that Sev would do the honors of beating Narcissa up.  
  
The drama had been abandoned for evening cuddling by the fireplaces. Here and there showers of ice water rained down from the ceiling as Protection Spells were activated, and one girl's hands caught fire.  
  
A few were passed out around the room, goblets of water-turned-rum in their hands. A few other odors indicated fire whisky and Bridget's last poteen stash had been found (not to mention that sickly-sweet scent in the air from the thin layer of smoke around the room).  
  
Lucius Malfoy was still passed out on the floor. Martis knew she had to do something about this.  
  
As she thought about it, the inflatable sheep trotted in, sat next to Lucius, and licked his cheek, bleating and wagging its tail.  
  
"Oh, beautiful. I can't pass this up." Martis carefully approached the sheep. "Hey, Lambchop, want to play a joke?"  
  
Lambchop the Inflatable Sheep baa'ed happily.  
  
----------  
  
A couple of hours later, the three members of the ersatz band SPEW appeared out of various forms of invisibility - one spell, one magic bracelet, and cloak - in the middle of the Slytherin common room.  
  
Spanky reported, "No sign of them anywhere."  
  
The Dude-Who-Lived and the redheaded man nodded in agreement. "They're not here."  
  
Spanky pulled out her wand. "So we'll try the next crisis nexus."  
  
The Dude-Who-Lived held up a hand. "Half a moment." He got a nasty grin on his face.  
  
"What are you going to do?!" the woman accused.  
  
The Dude-Who-Lived located a small placard and passed his wand over it, causing the Slytherin victory slogan to re-arrange itself.  
  
"Just giving Mr. Malfoy a present, dear. Never liked the snooty little hog's pizzle. Can I borrow your riding crop?"  
  
----------  
  
The next morning was a disaster in the Slytherin common room.  
  
Martis looked around at the carnage as she padded into the common room in her slippers and wrapper - passed out bodies all over the place, empty liquor bottles and goblets, ice still melting from Protection Spells.  
  
From the ceiling came a high-pitched voice, "Uh ... ma'am? Could you help us down, please?"  
  
Martis looked up and noticed four Gryffindor First-Years attached to the ceiling. James Potter and several other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team were with them, but they were all out cold with bottles of various sorts in their grips.  
  
"In a bit, kids," she said. "I'll want to get your House-Mother first -"  
  
"AAAAAAAHHHH!!!"  
  
She located the Slytherin House commonly owned camera and located Malfoy among the debris. Lambchop looked adorable in the bridal veil, Lucius looked very natural in the pink mini-dress (she realized the night before that Lucius and Narcissa had almost identical body-shapes, which was how she was able to get him into Narcissa's favorite party dress), but the riding crop and the sign reading 'Sailors Wanted For A Good Time' were new.  
  
She snapped a picture. "Lovely, baby - come on, pout for me, love the camera ... " She almost choked on her own laughter.  
  
Above, the First-Year Gryffindors shuddered. "That could've been us."  
  
----------  
  
"THIS!" Penderdandis wheezed. "THIS IS INTOLERABLE!" He glared at the common room at large. "Alcoholic consumption! Debauchery! Hashish smoked! Inflatable sheep! Gryffindors on the ceiling! Brawls! Protection Spells set off left, right, and center! Bookies! Students owling from Johannesburg for rides home!" He waved his hands in frustration. "AND GRAPE JUICE STAINS ON THE PERSIAN CARPET!!"  
  
Everyone edged away from Onslow Daizer, his juice preferences being widely known.  
  
"FOUR HUNDRED POINTS!"  
  
"Granted?" Evan ventured.  
  
"LOST!!!"  
  
Dead silence. Their own House Master took away four hundred points! Four HUNDRED points!  
  
"There goes the House Cup," Demetrius muttered.  
  
"AND reports will be sent to your PARENTS!"  
  
"Oh, bugger ... "  
  
"Can't we just be executed instead?"  
  
----------  
  
Outside the Great Hall where the large hourglasses for the House Point Totals stood, Artemisia and Adonia Vox watched in shock as the emeralds in the Slytherin hourglass literally poured upward into the upper chamber as if they were being sucked up by a Muggle vacuum cleaner.  
  
"Damn!" Adonia commented in amazement. "Must have been a hell of a party!"  
  
----------  
  
According to Sev's roommates, he had left the dorm room early in the morning and they had not seen him since.  
  
Martis checked the library and the Great Hall first, then climbed up to the Conversation Room and poked her head in.  
  
Sev was lying on his back on the floor, staring up at the stained glass ceiling. The climbing sun caressed the edge of the wall and ceiling, causing a glittering effect with the colored glass.  
  
"Snips?" she said softly.  
  
Sev did not look at her. "I'm surprised you still want to be around me after what happened."  
  
"You were enchanted - it wasn't your fault." She crawled in and sat next to him.  
  
"I don't want to be around anyone."  
  
"Don't blame you."  
  
"She - she ... " Sev swallowed loudly.  
  
"She raped your mind," Martis finished for him. "Which can be just as bad as the physical type."  
  
"You have no idea." He turned to look at her. "I feel both sick and soiled. When I woke up this morning I ended up throwing up three times." He rolled over and clutched her arm. "Martis, why???"  
  
"She's a sick person. That's what sick people do - they drag innocents through the mud with them and don't care how the innocent feels about it." He buried himself against her in her arms. "It's just how some people are no matter where you go."  
  
"I abandoned you," he moaned into her shoulder. "When Malfoy ran off with you, I acted like a lump!"  
  
"You were still being enchanted." She squeezed him, smiling. "Now you're not the only one who's seen my underwear."  
  
He sobbed.  
  
Martis sighed. "All right, nothing funny right now." She rocked him gently and held him tightly. "My poor Snips, like a delicate spider web. Then rising up like the great tarantula and attacking back - "  
  
"Like my father."  
  
"No. Your monster father enjoys it. You didn't."  
  
Sev was quiet. "No, not really. All I could think of was 'someone hurt Martis. They have to pay'. I wasn't even thinking of how I was doing it." He reached up and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I drew blood. I promised myself I'd never do that."  
  
"You were righteously angry," Martis told him. "Not only for your reason, but for the fact that she used you against your will. And besides, according to Penderdandis, that particular curse would have eventually compelled you to murder her. If anything, you saved her useless life."  
  
"The logic in that is very weak."  
  
"Bugger logic and the hippogriff it rode in on. You're a goody, don't forget that."  
  
Sev looked up at her, his liquid black eyes glittering with tears. "How could you ... ?"  
  
"Snips and Spirals Forever. I meant it. You and me to the end, Severus. No one's going to mess that up."  
  
Sev could not speak for most of the next hour or so. He was far too busy clutching at Martis and sobbing. Martis cried, too, holding him tight, and they let the world go away.  
  
----------  
  
Narcissa Black got a three-month detention by having to work as essentially a 'candy-striper' at St. Mungo's on the psychiatric ward where patients who had been affected by Dart Arts enchantments had ended up. This happened after school, which really cut into her OWLs studies, and gave her a taste of what could have happened to her and/or Sev if he had NOT killed her as the curse would have played out.  
  
Her parents were not pleased that she had attempted Dark Arts on 'Snape's son' and had berated her for not sticking with her betrothed Lucius ... yes, even if he was being a gigolo.  
  
Lucius Malfoy himself had decided to stay with Narcissa, mostly because trying to pursue Martis proved to be dangerous ... especially when she began waving around a Wizard photograph of him in a pink dress, holding a riding crop, with a vulgar sign around his neck, and the inflatable sheep wearing a wedding veil and nuzzling him in bliss. She promised to keep the photograph out of general circulation if he would stop chasing after her. He agreed quite readily.  
  
When Lucius returned from his second trip to the hospital wing, he was not surprised to find his things moved out into the hallway of Slytherin Tower and Fearghus Flynn moved into his bed. He quietly accepted his exile from his dorm room and located Fearghus' dorm room, only to discover that it was mostly full of Quidditch fanatics and half-bloods.  
  
The Quidditch team got their player posters back from the photographers - 8x10 portraits of the players on their brooms and either performing house plays or their positions along with their stats.  
  
Martis rather liked hers. Her sunglasses reflected the sunlight as she swooped toward the viewer, a Bludger coming at her back and her performing the backhanded Bludger Backbeat hit, the wind making her ponytailed hair and robe fly back. Her stats read:  
  
[Britomartis Vox - "Backbeat Spirals" - 1974 - Slytherin Team Beater - First Female in Slytherin House to be on Quidditch Team - Perfected the Bludger Backbeat - 5 games, 4 wins, 2 equipment accidents, 1 Hell-of-a- Victory-Party]  
  
Although she was not pleased that Thomas St. Claire and Evan Ryper were selling copies of her poster to the guys in the other Houses. She at least wanted a cut of the profit.  
  
Remus Lupin considered himself lucky that the rest of the Marauders never found out he bought five copies of the lovely and strong Miss Britomartis' picture.  
  
The euphoria of Slytherin's victory lasted for at least another week, even though they lost nearly all of their House points and received Howlers from parents nearly every day for that time.  
  
Although noticeably restrained were Martis and Sev as they sat closely together and talked or studied. The Rumor Mill had by this point ran the course of Narcissa's use of charms on Sev as well as Lucius' attempts for Martis, and had now considered the matter closed since both couples were apparently back to normal again. Or whatever passed for normal.  
  
Martis and Sev's quiet talks were them hammering out an agreement. It was an agreement to not get involved, date, or pursue (or be pursued by) anyone romantically for the rest of the year. It was obvious they were just not ready to have Third Parties involved yet.  
  
Lambchop the Inflatable Sheep ate James Potter's naughty story while he was not looking.  
  
It gave Lambchop indigestion.  
  
-End- 


End file.
